Avid announces enhancements to Avid S3L live sound system

Avid has announced key performance enhancements to the Avid S3L live sound system, setting a new standard for flexible, efficient workflows in live sound and studio applications, and delivering significant cost savings.

The latest updates empower users to mix and capture performances more quickly and cost effectively, enabling them to meet the increasing scope, size and complexity of live sound requirements and the industry’s continuous drive for efficiency.

“The latest S3L system enhancements deliver faster, more flexible workflows and significant cost savings,” said Jeff Rosica, senior vice president of worldwide field operations, Avid. “When combined with Pro Tools for recording and mixing, the S3L helps us deliver on the Avid Everywhere™ vision for the media industry by giving customers powerful tools for creating, sharing, and monetizing media more effectively than ever before.”

The Avid S3L live sound system is more powerful than ever with a new performance update that provides customers with I/O sharing and gain tracking across multiple S3L systems, and greater flexibility to mix live shows with user-definable fader layouts and VCA and Group Spill. It also enables sound engineers to use the S3 control surface standalone to mix Pro Tools (and other DAW) sessions, and features an updated operating system with support for 64-bit AAX DSP plug-ins.

When used together, Pro Tools® and the S3L deliver tightly integrated recording and mixing control of live or in-studio productions. As they’re run on the Avid MediaCentral Platform, users have access to the Avid Marketplace where they can network, collaborate with other media professionals and even monetize their work.

Innovative enhancements to the S3L are powered by major software updates, VENUE 4.5 and EuControl 3.2, and include:

I/O tracking and gain sharing — Customers can now share audio source feeds from one or more Stage 16 remote I/O boxes between up to three S3L Systems over Ethernet AVB. This enables engineers to take multiple S3L systems on the road but only have to carry one set of I/O boxes, resulting in quicker set-up, less burden on rental inventories, simplified cable management, and reduced transport costs. Gain tracking intelligently manages gain levels across all networked systems to provide each user on the network with full independent control of input gain.

Ability to mix Pro Tools and other DAW sessions using the S3 control surface — Customers can now use the S3 control surface as a standalone studio controller and audio interface with Pro Tools and any other EUCON™-enabled digital audio workstation. This enables an engineer to mix down a performance in Pro Tools after a gig using just the S3 control surface and a laptop. The EUCON protocol – the same protocol used by Avid S6 studio consoles – delivers superior functionality and integration.

Updated operating system with support for 64-bit AAX DSP plug-ins — S3L’s updated operating system includes support for 64-bit AAX DSP plug-ins, giving customers access to all the latest effects and sound processors available.

VENUE 4.5 and EuControl 3.2 software updates will be available in Q3 2014 to current and new S3L customers at no cost through their Avid customer accounts.